News

Great-grandmother is worried bridge is not safe for children

A GREAT-GRANDMOTHER claims she won't be walking over the new Abbey Bridge in Evesham as she thinks it is too dangerous.

The bridge, which is not set to open to people on foot until Monday (March 31) re-opened to traffic earlier this month.

And after driving over the bridge Patricia Dyke, from Pershore, said she was amazed the "tatty structure" was given planning permission and felt the approach to the bridge from Evesham town centre was unsafe for people on foot as it would be easy for people to fall over a barrier of about 4 ft high, which replaced the high railings.

The 64-year-old added the spaces of about 1 ft between each one would make it easy for a toddler to fall through.

"Imagine a woman with toddlers in tow, the spaces are just right for a child to slip through to a sheer drop below," she said. "A child could be gone like that.

"The height as well. What if someone had a fit or was drunk they could fall over the top of it. I wouldn't go near it because I am clumsy.

"It's scary to me I won't be going near it. I am not going to walk across the bridge.

"I hope it doesn't take a tragedy for this to be recognised."

But Worcestershire County Council say the bridge and foot ways are still under construction.

A spokesperson said: "The pedestrian foot ways across Abbey Bridge are still under construction and no one is currently able to use them.

"They are being built to all national safety standards and as they are now more protected should be safer than they were before once in use."